Project Description
THE SMITH STREET BAND
@ Thebarton Theatre
07/04/18
(Live Review)
Reviewer: Chelsea Wood
The Smith Street Band / Thebarton Theatre / Kerrie Geier
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I’ve recently read around, the various arguments suggesting the live music scene is dying out across Australia; but if you look at the likes of The Smith Street Band, they’re still flourishing and pulling crowds. And the reason is clear; their music is relatable and they put on one hell of a show. The Smith Street Band’s delivery is unique, uncut, and honest, and for this tour they brought along some stellar supports in the form of, Press Club and Bec Sandridge, unsurprisingly selling out Adelaide’s Thebarton Theatre on Saturday night.
Melbourne indie punk outfit, Press Club, opened the night with their ferocious energy and riotous attitude. The band’s singer, Natalie Foster, left no corner of the stage untouched as she thrashed around and interacted closely with the crowd. Their 40-minute set, made up of songs from their debut album, Late Teens (released only last month), intrigued punters and drew a solid crowd. Belting out Suburbia, Crash and album namesake Late Teens, the band seemed to grab everyone’s attention and got them moving with My Body’s Changing, which received the biggest cheer of their set.
After a brief break, Bec Sandridge hit the stage with her mystical vocals and individual take on synth filled pop and guitar work resurrected from the 80s. As she made her way through her set and through the likes of, I’ll Never Want a BF, High Tide, and You’re a F-ing Joke, the crowd continued to fill the theatre. She was an interesting figure to watch as she caught the attention of the dancing crowd with her distinct vocals, style, and overall stage presence, making her a performer who’s hard to forget.
As more punters piled into The Thebby from the outdoor bar and foyer, the smell of spilt beer, cigarettes (and other substances) meant everyone was ready for Smith Street to kick off. Soon enough, front man Wil Wagner appeared, relieving the restless crowd, and as he began the set front and centre with just his guitar and It Kills Me to Have to Be Alive, the dark theatre began to slowly light up as his fellow band mates joined him too. As the anticipation grew within the crowd, and the song reached its peak, the whole band chimed in, just in time for Wil to sing, “But I’m reaching out…”; which got the crowd cheering and jumping. Birthdays followed and provided the first sing a long, which indicated the night’s antics that would soon follow.
The Smith Street Band / Thebarton Theatre / Kerrie Geier
The Smith Street Band / Thebarton Theatre / Kerrie Geier
As the first headlining tour following the release of their 2017 critically acclaimed album, More Scared of You Than You Are of Me, this tour serves as a chance for The Smith Street Band to showcase a load of the album’s tunes for the first time. As they powered their way through fan favourites such as, Song for You, I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore, and Young Drunk, the floor felt like it was moving along with each of the crowd’s jumps. Also included in the night’s set were popular newbies, Passiona and Shine, which drew the biggest applause from the crowd. For the encore, we were treated with the sweet, The Belly of Your Bedroom, before Death to the Lads, and finale I Love Life, that ignited the whole of The Thebby for one last time.
As far as crowd interaction goes, Wil is known to speak out about crowd’s behaviour and safety during shows, and this night was no exception. He took a moment between songs to call out punters who were doing more harm than good; ‘How to show you’re a dickhead, crowd surf when no song’s playing…’ When sharing anecdotes and suggesting we all go out for a few beers, it’s like the band had dissolved the barrier between us and the stage like they were sharing stories with their mates. The energy and presence of the whole band during the night was undeniable, and it goes to show that all their hard work has paid off.
The Smith Street Band / Thebarton Theatre / Kerrie Geier
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